About the Film
Moon is a dramatic short film produced at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the Fall and Winter Quarters of 2021 - 2022 as a part of the 106 Crew Production Course. The script was selected by a panel of industry professionals out of a large group of projects and green-lit for production. It was written and directed by Noah Freeman Hecht, and produced by Jon Peter Lewis, Joo Yeon Yoo, and Kate Bellantoni.
Pre-production took place over the 10 weeks of the Fall Quarter, during which the crew worked hard to hire professional actors, acquire shooting locations, and schedule what would be a seven-day shoot.
Principle photography took place entirely from December 11 - 18 of 2021 with a total budget of $5,000.
Post-production continued for the remaining 10 weeks of the Winter Quarter, and the film was officially finalized on March 18. It is currently being submitted to festivals across the country.
Synopsis
Moon follows a young man struggling to cope with the recent death of his brother. After unknowingly consuming magic mushrooms, he is forced to navigate a psychedelic maze of memories and dreams until he is confronted with the guilt that he has been trying to suppress.
Director's Statement
What an incredible experience it was directing my first short film. March 18th marked the end of a long 7-month journey that started when I wrote the script back in August 2021. It has come a long way since those first few pieces of paper, and the transformation has been truly magical. From my amazing crew to our generous donors, there are so many people to thank for this, so many people this film could not have happened without, so many people whose passion, support, and creativity shaped this piece — thank you to everyone that made this possible. We poured our hearts and souls into this project and I think it really shows.
A mix of personal and fiction, the creation of this film was informed by both memory and imagination. My younger brother has always been a big part of my life, and while our relationship has not always been smooth, he has undoubtedly shaped the person I am today. With this film, I wanted to explore my own identity as an older brother and what it means to lose something you aren't prepared to.
Moon is a story of grief. It’s a story of loss and sadness and what happens when someone we love is taken from us. But it’s also a story about brotherhood, about family, and about friendship. It’s a story about honoring life and how we choose to move forward when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles. We really pushed ourselves to make the film as visually and audibly stunning as possible, but my biggest wish is that viewers resonate with the story and are reminded to appreciate the loved ones in their lives.
I am extremely proud of this film and I hope that it has an impact on those of you that see it.
Noah Freeman Hecht, April 2022
